Skills required - yo, k2tog, k, purl

TIP - if you prefer not to have a visible spine, on the WS work into the back loop of the spine increases (to close them).

This is designed to be a quick relaxing knit.

It is worked top down, so you can adapt it to any amount of yarn and any needle size. Click on yarn ideas for suggestions.

It works well with shaded yarns. I designed it originally to highlight the shading in Batiko (with is why it has stockinette sections). The lace is to keep it light and summery and interesting to knit, but without being too challenging.

The 2-stitch garter stich border at the top and the seed stitch border at the bottom mean that no extra finishing is required.

Many thanks to the test knitters for their suggestions, beautiful work and photos:

anachrotech
andanteknitter
Anitat
camilliaknits
chileblanco
christinacoghill
darkmoon (who’s already started her second)
debsf
deemaurice
googoo
kaaatija
knittycroc
jdpaulson
jJ1216
jlwiemelt
jovician
lauralu
Lillkitten
love2read
momnitsforme
novaofsav (who’s making a new one with her handspun)
Sandymorgan
sewknitful
SheKnitsToo
SouthernComfortKC
Stampingjoan
texgal
xstmj (who passed the pattern on to both her daughters)